Universal joint



June 11, 1935. H. B. sHoEMAKE'R 2,004,298 v UNIVERSAL JOINT Filed June 2&1,4 1934 taken on `the line 2--2` of Fig. 1. l f

Fig. `3 is a full face view of `theruniversal joint looking from the right inwFigZ `with the rear` l `portions of Vthe enclosing` casing removed. W on lines 4-4 of Fig.- 3.'

Patented June 11, 1935 amazes 'y f UNIVERSAL JOINT l h h. h HervyI B. Shoemaker, Detroit, Mich., assigner to GeneralMotors Corporation, Detroit, Mich., a corporation'of Delaware Application June12`8,rn19`34, No. 732,746 7 claims. (or. '64989) This invention relates `to improvements in encased universal joints `and particularly to improved `means for disassembling vthe universal` joint in an lautomotive vehicle `without the` necessity of disconnecting the rear axle andvvheels` and obtain. endwise movement of the shaft.

y Itlrhas heretofore been necessary, when it was' desired `to remove a `universal joint,` to` remove the rear axle and wheels vfrom contact `with the lremainder ofthe vehicle so that thetwo yoke` members on the ends of theshafts might be separated fromntheV spider which connectedthem.` It is the object of this inventionito provide a structure of i such formythat itr may be taken apart as a unit without` disassembling any otherportion of the vehicle.` More specifically, the

object isI to` provide openings or pockets in the casing which encloses the universal joint and into `which thewbushingssurrounding the endsof the spider studs may be moved from theirnormal position to allow `the lyoke on the end` of the shaft totbe .disconnected from the' spider of` the universaL In `the accompanying drawing,` illustrating -one embodiment `of` my invention:

Fig.` 1I shows a verticallongitudinal section through the portion of 'anautomotive lvehicle from the rear of the'motor to therear Wheels. Fig. `2 shows an enlarged" detail lcross section Fig. 4 is an enlarged partial' sectional View taken Fig. 5v is a sectional view `taken `on the'v lines 5 5 of Fig. 3. i "l Referring specifically to Fig. 1, the numeral` I indicates the"frame yof' a motor vehicle which supports; at its forward-end, `a motor `2for driving the same. At the rear, wheel 3 is connected to the frame l by leaf-spring 4. Uponthe same axle as the rear wheel 3 is supported isrlocated the differential 5 ini-which are located the driving gears for the rear wheels. To the rear of the motor is connected a transmission 6 and to the rear of that a universal joint connection 'L` Between the rear driving connection of the universal joint and the diierential 5 is connected the torque tube 8. i

Referring now in detail to the universal joint connection indicated broadly at 1 and as shown i. in detail in Fig 2, thetwo shafts to be connected` are indicated at 9 and I0.` The shaft 9 is a gitudinal movement of the bushing.

stub .shaft` projecting'l from `the transmission 6, and `I0 is `thepropellershaft.` Both shafts have a seriesof-rdgesand `grooves around the circumference'at the ends andthe yokesrl Irland I2 i are machined complementarlyjto-fit thereon respectively fora strong driving connection.V

The 1yoke` Il is secured 'to -theend of i shaft 9 by washer\|3' whichV is` heldwby cap screw'ld threaded into 'the' end ofsh'aft 9. The yoke lz isislidablyvseeured to shaft lo and nts at right angles into the opening ofyoke I'I. `The two'yokes are `fastenedv together Vby a `spider I5 which `has four arms, thegadjacent arms being at right angles to leach f other and the `ends-forming studsfasshownat I1. The ends l of theyoke .members Il and fl2 have formed in them," circular JOpenings-18`in which 'bushings I9 aresecured'infa"manner` to be later de scribed; `TheseVeircular:openings i8 are slotted as at 20 toa width less than the outside di-` ameterof the-bushingsbut greater `than the outside diameteroff-the studs Il. i

`In the approximatemedial portion `of. the circular opening and slotted portion is formed a groove 2i of `semi-circular form." Also in the exterior' surface ofthe bushingyat its mid-point is a semi-circular groove 22. The purpose of these two' grooves' is tosecurev the bushing within theopeningin the yoke.` The bushings are forced' into the openings in an axial direction and when the *two,semi-circulargrooves coincide,`a wiref23 isv pushedaround through the opening so' formed, and this prevents'any lon- Surrounding they propeller shaft I0 is the torque tube^ 2li.` Fittedpn theftorque `tube is the torque ball-sleeve 25wh'ich hasan enlarged sphericalpoi'jtion 26 -at one `end to enclose the; universal. joint" and which" has` an opening`2l j in the .endf thereof "of sufcientV size to allow the joint per se to pass through. This torque ball sleeve `is slidable on'the torque tube and a ,washer 28` is supplied attherearward extremity of the sleeve `between that and tn@` tube to prevent lubricant leakage.; i l h Aportion of the casing of the transmission housing is extended rearwardly, as shown at` 29, which has a flange 30 at its extremity. In the housing, set slightly back from theflange, are two semi-cylindrical cavities, or pockets 3l, at axially opposed points as best shown in Figs. 3 and 5. These cavities are` directly in line* with the bushings in the yoke member when that. yoke member is in a particular position. The ange' also `has a series of bolt holes `32 sembling a universal joint to disconnect' the rear axle from the springs or the springs from the frame so that the shaft, such'as lmight be pulled out to the rearfrorna'yokemember, such as I2. Then a long socket wrench was applied to remove a cap screwgsuchxas.` M-an'di take the joint apart. The bushings on the yoke. arms could not be removed as the casing'was" in the. wayv and thereforethe universal joint it` self:y Ycould not be taken'.y apartuntil it ,was removed from the vehicle. .Buti this joint may be disconnected in theffo'llowing manner: theV cap screws 33 are-.takeny out first which allows the member 34l-to. be slidback along the' torque ball sleeve and also-,permits the torque ball sleeve to. be pushed to therea'r on the torque tube.l This will expose. the universal joint per` se.v Therwiresl23 are nextfremoved which allows the two bushings which'` happen to `be in.`

position to be moved respectively into the cavitiesor pockets in the casing 3l?. The studs on the spider may then/be movedfthrough thewopenings-2i)4 and will do so as the yoke member l2 is Ypushed` back on the propeller shaft. This allows the forward end ofthe propeller shaft.

to be dropped down thereby` permitting the application of a socket-wrench to the cap screw i4- to remove that` and. allow yoke. II to be taken off. The4 assembly, of! course, would be merely the reverse of the/above.

It can therefore be. seentha-t-.I have provided a universaljoint. that mayl be: disassembled without the necessity vof disconnecting the rear axle and wheels-fromzthe chassis'ofthe vehicle.

I claim:

l. Inv a universal joint .assembly having two yokesvattached-to the ends. of the shafts and a spider foi1 connecting the two openings in the yokes` to? receive the endsfof the. spider arms, bushings in. saidv openings,-.a two. piece casing for surroundingLthe joint,` one of the sections of said casing having.- two.` pockets on. an` axis in the plane of rotationofthespider-7 whereby the two opposite bushings may be .moved into said pockets to facilitate disassembly. ofthe. joint;

2. Inlai-universal'joint, twoshafts, a yoke attaehedto the end-.of eachga spiderA having arms to connect with the yokes, openingsfinreach yoke for the insertion of. the spider arms, a bushing in each opening, azcasingsurrounding the `joint composed oftwo ysections,.one section-being slidable along the axis ofthe shaft, the secondsection having two pockets-onfan axis inthe plane tion of the joint whereby parts of the joint may bemoved into these pockets to facilitate disassembly.

4; A universal joint comprising two shafts, a yokev rigldlyfsecured to the end of one shaft, a second yoke slidable axially on the end of the second.shaft,. diametrically alined openings in the arms of each yoke, bushings detachably secured Within the openings, a spider for connecting. the yokes together through' contactl with the openings, -a torque tube surrounding oneshaft,

a torque sleeve ball slidablymountedon the'tube and having. an' enlarged end portion which en`` Compasses the joint, a-casing` having two sections contacting the outside surface of said enlargedendto seal the joint,A one of said sections have two alined pockets whereby when the torque sleeve ball is moved-.along the tube the bushing-sv may be moved intothe pockets to' facilitate. disassembly.

5; A. universal joint comprising two shafts, a'.

yoke rigidly secured to the end of one shaft, a second yokexslidable axially on the: end of' the second shaft, diametrically alined openings in i the arms of. each` yoke, said openings being slotted, bushings detachably securedl Within. the openings, a' spider having arms for engaging the bushings to connect the yokes together, the slots-in the openings being smallerthan-theout side diameterof thebushings but larger than the outside diameter of: the spider arms, arcas-V ing surrounding. thel joint composed of two sections, one section having two alinedI pockets on an. axis in the plane of rotation ofthejoint, whereby the bushings'mayfbe-moved axially into the'pockets andthe yoke member slipped laterally from. the` spider, arms, due to the slotted.

openings, to facilitate disassembly of the joint.

6: Inauniversal joint assembly having yokes, a spider and radially movable bushings in the yokes engaging the spider arms; a" casing surroundingv the joint assembly and a pair of pockets in the casing in theV plane, of the spider intowhichv the bushings may be-moved radially to allow the joint to separate.

7. Inra universal joint. assembly, two shafts, a yoke attached to the end of each, means to which the yokev arms are connected, lining means between the connecting means and the yoker arms, a casing surrounding the assembly and pockets in the casing into which the lining means may be radially moved to facilitate disassembly of the joint.

HERVY B. SHOEMAKER. 

